2016 Wesleyan Discipline:738–744

738. Associate Pastor. An associate pastor is an ordained minister or a commissioned or licensed minister, who is called of God and appointed by the Church to serve along with the senior pastor and under the direction of the senior pastor as assigned by the senior pastor and approved by the local board of administration; this assignment normally includes a broad range of the shepherding and teaching responsibilities and such administrative responsibilities as are delegated, but may be concentrated on one or more specific aspects of ministry (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:675). The calling and assignment of the associate pastor shall be subject to the following guidelines:

(1) The associate pastor shall have training, experience, and ministerial standing compatible with those of the senior pastor.

(2) The associate pastor is recommended to the local board of administration by the senior pastor. The associate pastor cannot be employed initially without the express recommendation of the senior pastor and the written approval of the district superintendent. The call cannot be renewed without the express recommendation of the senior pastor. Otherwise, the call is made and renewed by the local church conference in the same manner as that of the senior pastor, except that the termination point for the call can never be later than that of the senior pastor.

(3) The associate pastor’s appointment may be terminated in the same manner as that for a pastor, with the additional provision that the term of service will end whenever there is a change in senior pastor in the local church where service is rendered. Whenever a senior pastor terminates service at a time other than the uniform time of pastoral change (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:700), the associate pastor’s term shall expire at the succeeding uniform time for such change. The newly called senior pastor may recommend renewal of the call for the associate pastor to the local board of administration.

(4) If a clergy couple is appointed to the pastoral staff, only one shall be designated as senior pastor, unless the local church conference should vote to call the persons as co-pastors. In such case, the district shall appoint them as co-pastors and they shall be listed as such in the district journal (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:1332:8).

741. Assistant Pastor. An assistant pastor is an ordained minister or a commissioned or licensed minister, who is called of God and appointed by the Church to serve under the direction of the senior pastor as assigned by the senior pastor and approved by the local board of administration; this assignment normally includes more limited and specific aspects of the pastoral ministry (cf. 2016 Wesleyan Discipline:678). The calling and assignment of the assistant pastor shall be subject to the following guidelines:

(1) The assistant pastor shall have the training, experience, and ministerial standing which are suitable for this assignment.

(2) The assistant pastor is recommended to the local board of administration by the senior pastor. The assistant pastor cannot be employed initially without the express recommendation of the senior pastor and the written approval of the district superintendent. The call cannot be renewed without the express recommendation of the senior pastor. While the local church conference creates the position, the local board of administration employs the person subject to the recommendation of the pastor and approval of the district conference. Employment shall be for one year at a time except that its termination point can never be later than that of the senior pastor.

(3) The assistant pastor’s appointment may be terminated at any time at the pastor’s recommendation and the vote of the local board of administration. The term of service will end whenever there is a change in senior pastor in the local church where service is rendered. Whenever a senior pastor terminates service at a time other than the uniform time of pastoral change (2016 Wesleyan Discipline:700), the assistant pastor’s term shall expire at the succeeding uniform time for such change. The newly called senior pastor may recommend the reemployment of the assistant pastor to the local board of administration.

(4) The office of assistant pastor is an employed position, subject to final approval by the district conference. It is to be assigned to no one as an honor or to provide special status.

744. Lay Assistant to the Pastor. Lay members may also serve as paid assistants. While the local church conference creates the position, the local board of administration employs the person subject to the recommendation of the pastor.

(1) The lay assistant must be a member of the local church where employed.

(2) Employment shall be for one year at a time.

(3) Employment of a licensed or commissioned special worker shall be subject to review by the district board of administration and appointment by the district conference.